Investigation of the Water Quality in Oum Er Rbia River (Morocco): A Multifaceted Analysis of Physicochemical, Undesirable Substances, Toxic Compounds, and Bacteriological Traits

Abstract

Consecutive years of droughts and increasing human pressure heighten the vulnerability of Oum Er Rbia water to pollution. This study  presents a comprehensive evaluation of water quality in the Oum Er Rbia River, employing a multifaceted approach encompassing  physicochemical parameters, undesirable substances, toxic compounds, and bacteriological traits. In this study, 26 physicochemical and 3  biological parameters (SF, CF, CT) were analyzed along the Oum Er Rbia River at 10 different stations during the seasons of the years  2020 to 2022. The analysis assessed the water samples against Moroccan drinking water standards and the recommended values set by the World Health Organization (WHO) to evaluate their conformity. A comprehensive analysis of the results revealed notable deviations  from the stipulated standards at certain stations, indicating potential concerns regarding the suitability of drinking water. The findings  revealed a significant variation in the concentrations of all traits among the analyzed stations and years. Analysis of the second-year data  showed the highest concentration of physicochemical traits. Thus, the bacteriological analyses induced contamination of all experimental  stations by total coliforms, faecal coliforms, and faecal streptococci. Furthermore, the data multivariate analyses  highlighted three distinctive groups among the studied stations in terms of the polluting substances and found that the most  contaminated station was S9, followed by S7. These findings inform environmental monitoring programs and water resources  management in the Oum Er Rbia basin. The multifaceted assessment guides interventions to preserve the river's ecological integrity and  safeguard the health of dependent communities.